The Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department (WASD) has recently chosen Black & Veatch, a worldwide leader in essential infrastructure, to deliver design and engineering services for renewal and replacement initiatives at its three wastewater treatment facilities.
This project involves significant upgrades to vital components of the three plants, including their biological processes, filtration and disinfection systems, electrical generation buildings, and injection well pump stations.
Under this agreement, Black & Veatch will also assist WASD in implementing measures to recycle 60 percent of its wastewater, aligning with Florida’s Ocean Outfall Legislation (OOL) requirements.
This legislation mandates that utilities in Southeast Florida cease daily ocean outfall usage by the end of 2025, curtail nutrient discharges, and establish a reuse system that is both technically and economically viable.
“As regulations change, the Black & Veatch team excels in aiding utilities in enhancing their infrastructure to comply with updated standards,” stated Mike Orth, president of Black & Veatch’s Governments and Communities sector.
“Innovative water and energy nexus strategies are essential to address our client’s urgent needs. Our team is prepared to utilize over a century of expertise in critical infrastructure to provide modernization and sustainable water reuse solutions to Miami-Dade County.”
This approach, which includes the adoption of Effluent Energy Recovery Systems, utilizes non-potable water to cool plant facilities—substituting cooling towers with heat exchangers, thereby saving the county millions and enabling compliance with water reuse legislative mandates.
The high-quality non-potable water will then be disposed of via deep injection wells that are not linked to the county’s drinking water supply. Additionally, the reuse system will be predominantly powered by renewable energy sources, reflecting Miami-Dade County’s commitment to sustainable practices.
“The Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department aims to be a benchmark utility for excellence in reliability, resilience, and environmental stewardship,” remarked Water and Sewer Director Roy Coley.
“We look forward to collaborating with organizations like Black & Veatch and investing in opportunities that will optimally position the department to deliver top-quality services to our customers.”
Source :Black & Veatch
